School cell phone ban, legal marijuana edibles & 80 MPH on interstates go into effect August 1

Both pieces of legislation signed by Governor Armstrong don't have universal support - with opponents of the phone ban saying it cuts off students' access to communication in case of emergency, while marijuana advocates wonder why recreational consumption isn't yet legal.

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – It’s been a common refrain from educators and even parents frustrated at their child’s amount of screen time.

Electronics are making it exceedingly difficult for kids to focus, especially in school.

Thanks to HB 1160 – those distractions should be eliminated, starting on August 27 for the 2025-26 Fargo Public school year.

“It’s also going to increase focus for learners, and it’s also going to increase community,” said Superintendent Dr. Cory Steiner.

“That’s the part I’m really excited about, is learners looking each other in the eye and having conversations.”

FPS has instituted its policy such that all personal electronics need to be stored in lockers for the entirety of the school day. That includes phones, laptops, gaming devices, e-readers, you name it.

Steiner has heard from concerned parents who worry about students being able to contact emergency services in case of a threat on campus, but believes the alternatives already in place are more than adequate for such a situation.

“I think the emergency notification system for schools is really robust, and that’s going to be a great way to communicate,” he said.

Meanwhile, medical marijuana is taking a step forward, adding edibles to its repertoire of legal products.

The “lozenges”, as House Bill 1203 calls them, must be square in shape and contain no more than 5 milligrams of THC per serving.

Burleigh County Vice-Chair Steve Bakken has seen recreational marijuana defeated multiple times at the state level.

He says this bill’s passing reflects some shifting attitudes –

“The culture’s changed a little bit, and we are getting to a point where people are accepting alternative medicines.”

and can see the edibles being a good alternative to North Dakotans seeking relief for a myriad of maladies.

He believes, though, that there’s a long way for the state to go before it’s caught up in policy with its neighbors.

“Why should somebody, if you’re on the Eastern part of the state or the Western part of the state, want to go through all of those hoops to go get a medical card when you could just drive across the river or drive across the state line?” he asked, referencing the fact that recreational marijuana is legal in Montana and Minnesota.

Also going into effect Friday: the interstate speed limit will be raised from 75 to 80 miles per hour.

KVRR will interview North Dakota Highway Patrol to find out how this will change travel in the state.